Plan Your Presidents' Day Weekend Getaway with Airbnb.com

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Wish you'd gone away for Martin Luther King weekend — or went away and left an empty house behind? Don't let Presidents' Day Weekend be another missed opportunity: Consider Airbnb.com as a way to save money on a place to stay, or to make money by renting out your own place.

Like vacation rentals, Airbnb's accommodations are in someone's home (or second home) so they're, well, more home-y than a hotel's, usually including a kitchen — and are often a better value. "You might pay $150 per night to stay in an apartment in San Francisco, while a hotel would cost $250," says Christopher Lukezic, Airbnb's director of communications and a frequent user. Plus, many hosts make the effort to leave local info on the best ways to get around, the coolest things to explore, the tastiest restaurants in the area, etc., so it's almost like having a personal guide to the locale you're visiting. And talk about locales — Airbnb boasts listings from 19,000 cities in 192 countries, and growing.

To find your home away from home, search for your desired destination, dates, and number of people in your party. Hone in by filtering by price, accommodation type (apartment, house, room, etc.), neighborhood, amenities (from parking to wireless internet), and even by rentals that have been "recommended" by other Airbnb users. Once you've narrowed it down to three spots — the number Lukezic recommends — send a brief message to the hosts introducing yourself, explaining your plans, and asking any questions you might have about the property or its neighborhood. It's typical to exchange a couple of messages before making the booking, to establish trust, though you can always just try to book without the personal intro — just know that hosts have the ultimate say to approve or refuse a booking for any reason.

To list your placePlan , create a profile by writing out a brief description of your property's selling points (steps to the subway! free on-street parking!), and uploading photos of your space and yourself. You can also add video and enhance your listing by giving "guidebook" info on your fave stuff to do. Your exact address and direct contact info aren't shared until you agree to a booking. A few more words about safety: Airbnb's founders pride the site for providing a secure venue through which you can rent your home to trustworthy, respectful folks — and they put their money where their mouth is. Hosts in the U.S. and 16 other countries are protected by Airbnb's $50,000 guarantee that covers theft or damage caused by guests, in addition to a security deposit if the host requests one. The site also has a secure payment system through which money changes hands seamlessly; guests are charged a 6-12% service fee on top of the booking, while hosts receive their asking price less 3%.

What are you planning to do with your long weekend? Tell us about it in the comments below.